


This Must Be The Place

by m_squared



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-02
Updated: 2016-09-23
Packaged: 2018-07-28 20:30:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7655644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/m_squared/pseuds/m_squared
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cosima and Delphine are both music photographers who are long overdue for a drink, between colleagues of course.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Glancing at her phone to check the time, she picks up her pace as she crosses the busy avenue. She weaves her way down the sidewalk towards the venue, bypassing the crowd of concert goers huddling for warmth against the frigid night air. As she nears the entrance, she realizes that she’s still holding her burning joint and quickly puts it out against the brick building, throwing the butt into the Altoids tin she keeps in her purse for such occasions, before continuing onto the security check. 

“Got anything in that backpack besides your hunk o’ junk camera, Dreads?” The bouncer asks, reaching for the bag currently being outstretched towards him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about Tony, this backpack only holds the finest camera ever made by humans.” 

Smirking, he continues to check all the zippered compartments of the pack.

Tony holds her battered Nikon D700 up for emphasis, “Cos, the battery needs duct tape to keep it in.”

“That’s because I dropped it when the mosh pit got out of control when I was covering Andrew W.K.’s New Year's Eve show last year. It’s still a great camera!”

Tony laughs good naturedly, and hands her back her bag. 

“Yeah, yeah, I remember, I’m just giving you shit. Go on in, the rest of the gang’s already here, including that blonde you’re hot for.”

Cosima stops mid-step, “What? I’m not “hot” for anyone.”

“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.” Cosima stares blankly at him. “The blonde French chick, what’s her name?”

“Del-Delphine?” she asks, her voice rising an octave as her throat tightens. 

“Delphine, yeah that’s it, the one you’re not hot for my ass. Why don’t you go in and do your job and I don’t know, and stop blocking the door so I can do mine.” With that he motions the next person in line forward. She opens her mouth to argue but decides it isn’t worth it, the opener is going to start shortly and she should be in the pit with the rest of the photographers. As she starts to walk away, she hears Tony call, “And Dreads, why don’t you just try talking to her for once!” 

Easier said than done, Cosima thinks to herself and heads up the stairs to the concert hall. 

 

Limbs buzzing from a combination of the pot and the thought of seeing this absolutely gorgeous woman that she has totally been crushing on for the last six months, (though she would never admit that to Tony or anyone else at the venue) she snakes her way through throngs of twenty somethings trying too hard to look bored, all the way to the front of the room. She spots her friend Scott first; his awkward almost bowl cut and colored button down stand out against the sea of black on black

Cosima is about halfway to Scott, who is busy chatting with Felix, the exuberant venue promoter, when she sees her. Standing a few feet from the stage attentively listening to the conversation, she wears a loose white tank tucked into tight black jeans, blonde curls pulled back in a messy bun, and camera bag slung over her shoulder; oh yeah, Delphine Cormier is the epitome of cool and class. Cosima swears her knees buckle a little when Delphine turns and smiles at her, waving enthusiastically. 

“Allo, Cosima!” she half shouts across the growing noise of the crowd. 

It takes Cosima longer than she would like to admit to get her wits together and throw a casual wave towards the blonde.

“Hey, Delphine!” She manages, slipping past the last of the concert goers and closing the awkward gap between herself and the gorgeous frenchwoman. This close she can smell the clean scent of vanilla and lavender that always seems to accompany the blonde, and it sends her head spinning. Delphine grins warmly down at her and before Cosima can process what is happening, she feels a quick kiss on each cheek. Dazed, the brunnette can only manage a blush and a smile, slowly lifting her eyes back to Delphine’s. 

“It’s good to see you Cosima.” 

She is about to reply when Felix loudly clears his throat drawing both women’s attention away from one another. 

“Oh I see how it is Cosima. Here I was thinking you had eyes for all Europeans, but now I am thinking it may just be the French!” 

“Felix! You know I’m always happy to see you.” She recovers, quickly pulling him into a tight hug. “You too, Scotty!” 

“Scotty here was just filling us in on your latest Dungeons and Dragons campaign.” Felix drawls with a shit eating grin. Cosima feels more than sees Delphine’s eyes shift in her direction, and for a brief moment she fears she will see embarrassment or pity in the blonde’s eyes, but when she turns she only sees curiosity reflected back at her. 

“Yeah, Scott was saying you created a character who is a travelling nun/healer?” 

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I did.”

“She’s pretty badass. Cosima has been kicking ass with her.” Scott offers, attempting to wink at Cosima. 

“Yeah, you were saying that! You know Cosima, I studied biology in university.” The blonde offers coyly, eyes alight. 

“You -- you did?” 

“Yes, photography was just a hobby. Biology was my passion, in fact, Immunology was my favourite class so I’d love to hear more about this nun’s healing potions.” 

“For real? That’s so cool! I’d love to hear more about it too. I mean, I’d love to talk about your biology --- Shit, I mean, I’d love to hear you talk more about biology. Talk about biology with you.”

Delphine giggles as Cosima’s face darkens, blushing with her inability to form a coherent sentence. The house lights dim and Scott whispers, “Don’t sweat it, Cosima,” above the roar of the crowd. 

“Alright Hogwarts School of Nerdery, let’s keep it in our pants shall we? I need someone to capture the madness so go forth and photograph!” Felix shouts as he sashays over to the bar for a refill. 

Cosima fumbles with her camera bag, finding that her normally able hands seem to be having some trouble with the simple clasps. She manages to get her camera out and takes her place next to Scotty in the pit as the opening band makes their way onstage amidst a cloud of strobe lit smoke. She swears she catches Delphine staring at her out of the corner of her eye, but refuses to turn fully to check, at least not while she can still feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment. 

After a few songs, the photogs are all ushered out of the pit and they head to the bar to wait for the band to end and the headliner to begin. Cosima doesn’t usually drink at gigs, but tonight she feels like it might help her calm down. 

She motions for the bartender and orders a glass of the house red. 

“Make that two.” A smooth lilting voice calls from close behind her. She turns and finds Delphine’s face a few inches from her own. The blonde smiles that same disarmingly warm smile again and Cosima feels her mouth go dry. 

“Hey stranger.” the blonde continues. 

“Hey yourself. It’s a little tight in here, huh?” She offers as she feels most of her body come in contact with the blonde as someone pushes past them both. 

“I don’t mind, being jostled is all part of rock and roll, right?”

“Did you just say ‘jostled’?”

Now it’s Delphine’s turn to blush, though she doesn’t look away, “I did.”

“That’s adorable.” 

The bartender returns with the two glasses and Delphine quickly throws enough cash his direction to cover both drinks, winking at the brunette. 

“You can get the next round, Cosima.” 

“Who said there would be a next round?” Cosima hears herself ask, surprised at the bravado she’s managed to pull together. 

“Well, if memory serves, you aren’t the biggest fan of tonight’s headliner, neither am I, and you expressed wanting to discuss biology further with me so I thought you might want to duck next door after we get what need here?”

“Good memory, Cormier. I really can’t stand tonight’s headliner. Or being jostled.” 

“Soooooooo, is that a yes?” Perfectly tamed eyebrows raise in anticipation as Delphine cocks her head and holds her wine glass out to cheers. 

“Yes, obvs.” She clinks her wine glass against Delphine’s who pulls a long sip never breaking eye contact. 

“Good, it’s a date. I’ll meet you downstairs after the last set.” The blonde winks and heads back towards the stage to wait for the headliner. 

Holy shit, this is going to be a long night, she thinks to herself as she follows, grinning like an idiot. 

 

.


	2. Chapter 2

“Non, non, it’s not a matter of personal preference, it’s a fact! Pommes Frites are a million times superior to your American “French Fries!” 

“Dude, how can you even say that?! French fries are classic! Europeans have ruined them with your fancy mayonnaise.”

“I do not believe you get to claim that Europeans have ruined frites when we are the ones who invented them, ma Cherie.” 

“I think she’s got you there, boss.” The barkeep says, setting down two beers. 

Cosima’s head snaps up as Delphine stifles a giggle. 

“What? No way, Sarah! You’re taking her side?”

“Guess so. Must be a European thing, right Blondie?” 

“Seriously?! Historically the English don’t even like the French!”

Sarah shrugs, “I don’t know Cos, I know you study science but it sounds like you need a history lesson. Cheers guys.” She throws back a shot and saunters over to a lumberjack lookalike at the far end of the bar, leaving Cosima slackjawed that her favorite bartender, her friend, wouldn’t take her side in an argument. 

It is the sound of Delphine clearing her throat that draws Cosima’s attention back. 

“It would seem that in addition to history, the polite custom of completing a cheers before drinking one’s beverage also seems to be lost on Americans.” She motions to her upheld beer. 

“Oh shit, yes, yeah. Cheers!” 

Silence follows the clinking of glass as both women take a long drink. 

“You know, Sarah and her brother, they’re so alike I couldn’t believe they weren’t actually brother and sister.”

“Well, they grew up together, makes sense right? Nature vs. Nurture, they don’t have to be blood relatives.”

“Ah, c’est vrai.” 

“Speaking of, I didn’t know you have a degree in biology?”

“Yes. I always loved science as a child and I decided to focus on biology during university. Human disease was especially interesting to me, so I decided if I went back to grad school, I would focus on immunology, specifically host-parasite relationships.”

“Cool, cool, that sounds fascinating, vector transmission, host-parasite interactions, all that “monsters inside me” stuff.”

“Monsters inside me?”

“It’s a TV show.”

“Oh? I haven’t seen it.”

“What? It’s so gross but so good! We’ll have to watch it.”

“Mon dieu, Cosima, where do you get time to watch tv?” 

“Don’t worry about it. But seriously, that’s hella cool. If you don’t mind me asking, how’d you end up here in the states?”

“Umm, well, right after I graduated, my grandmother became very sick and my mother needed help taking care of her. So, rather than going to school I got a part time job in a lab for a while to be able to be around more. I still got experience and was able to help my maman with some of the bills.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry. That was really nice of you.”

“Thank you.”

“And your grandmother now?”

“She passed about two years ago.”

“I'm sorry to hear that.”

“Merci, Cosima. My dad left when I was young so it was just my mom and I once grandmere passed. It was really hard to leave when I decided to come here for school.” 

“So you are here for school?” 

Delphine smiles, “Yes, at University of Chicago.”

“No way! Me too! Wait, how did I not know this?”

“Umm, well, I have wondered that myself. You know, we actually had a class together.” 

Cosima chokes on her beer, slamming the glass down. 

“WHAT? When? How? I definitely would have noticed you in one of my classes!” 

“You say that, yet it would seem you only had eyes for this other girl; about your height, dark hair, a little bit of a goth vibe.” 

“Emi?” Cosima pauses, her brow scrunching together as she tries to recall the class. “We had microbio two together? Oh my god, I’m so embarrassed.” 

“About Emi, or not realizing we were in class together?” Delphine teases and bites her lip nervously. 

“Am I terrible if I say both?” 

“Non, it was a large class and we’re not exactly in the same cluster are we? You’re in the Darwinian group right?”

“Yeah, evo devo.” 

“Ahh, see, different clusters plus I live downtown and it seems you rarely attend any departmental events so when would we see each other?”

“I guess that makes sense. Wait, you’ve been looking for me at the department events?”

“Cosima, I --” Delphine starts, a blush creeping up her neck. She takes a quick drink and clears her throat to start again. “Cosima, I have been trying to get you to actually notice me and talk to me for the better part of the last year, ever since you stumbled into the lecture hall ten minutes late and still managed to be the professor’s favorite. Since I didn’t see you around campus or at events I had to get creative. When one of my friends mentioned their blog needed a good photographer to cover local shows I jumped at the chance because I knew you also covered them and I thought it would finally give me a chance to talk to you.”

Cosima stares at Delphine for a few seconds and then gets up from the bar.

“I’m sorry, I’ll be right back.” She crosses the room, quickly becoming lost in the crowd. Delphine and Sarah share a look of confusion and Sarah quickly makes her way to Delphine. 

“You tell her?”

“Yes. It appears she didn’t take it as well as I had hoped she would.”

“I’m sorry Delphine, we all thought she was as gone on you. I didn’t expect her to just up and leave.” 

Delphine lets out a heavy sigh, “It’s ok, Sarah.”

“Want a shot?”

“Yes, I think so.”

The alcohol burns the back of Delphine’s throat but she welcomes it as a distracting from the gnawing ache she feels in the pit of her stomach. Sarah glances over to check in but she waves her off. Deciding it is more dignified to leave the bar in favor of having a good cry at home, she begins to pack her things when she feels a tap on her shoulder. She turns, and finds herself eye level with Cosima. The generic bar rock that had been playing in the background fades out and she hears the soft swell of flutes and violins.

“Uh hey, sorry about that. So, do you want to dance?” The brunnette holds out her hand with a nervous grin. 

Delphine stares at her dumbfounded. 

“I thought you left.”

“Yeah, heh, didn’t think that one through, it’s just I’ve also been for lack of a better word, pining for you for a long time and I didn’t actually think you felt the same since I could never get the nerve to talk to you. And I get nervous and say, do, dumb shit so I just like needed a minute to process and also wanted to change the tune so I could ask you to dance.” 

“Edith Piaf?” Delphine asks, raising her eyebrows. 

“Yeah, well, she’s French and I actually really dig it so…”

Delphine rolls her eyes and accepts Cosima’s offer, grasping her hand as Cosima leads them to an opening in the crowd. 

“You said you chose Edith Piaf because she’s French, but you know, cherie, this is the English version of the song?” 

“Shut up and dance with me, Cormier.” 

Delphine feels Cosima guide one of her hands to rest on her hip, as she loops one hand behind her neck, her arm flush against Delphine’s shoulder, the other entangles their fingers. Delphine feels her heart beat faster at the proximity of their bodies, feels herself get lost in the hazel orbs, feels her breath hitch as Cosima leans in, pressing their cheeks together as they begin to sway. 

Closing her eyes, Delphine loses herself completely in the feeling of the other woman. As the song progress, their hold on one another tightens and Delphine momentarily worries that Cosima may actually be able to feel her heart slamming against her rib cage. Cosima’s grip on Delphine’s neck loosens slightly, and she begins to pull back turning her head slightly so their foreheads are now touching. 

“Delphine?”

“Yes?”

“I really want to kiss you right now, but I really don’t want our first kiss to be with Sarah watching.”

Delphine opens her eyes and turns slightly immediately spotting the bartender, who is indeed watching them intently. Grinning softly she turns back to Cosima. 

“Ok, take me home then.”

Cosima’s face splits into a wide grin, her tongue poking out, “Your wish is my command.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued...


End file.
